Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political

Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science

Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

Winter Semester:
1.
Title: Introduction into Comparative Political Science 2 (7 ECTS Credits)
Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Lecturer: Doc. Erik Láštic PhD., N-212, erik.lastic@uniba.sk
The course builds on the Introduction to Comparative Political Science 1. In the
course, students will deepen their knowledge of comparison as a basic method of
analysis in political science.
Students will gain the ability to distinguish the relevant components of political
Aims and
regimes at the level of structures, actors and political culture. Graduates will
objectives: learn to apply this knowledge in the analysis of specific political regimes in
selected countries and regions. The course also focuses on the development of
other individual skills, such as critical thinking, teamwork, analytical and
presentation skills.
written tests - 40% of the total assessment, during the semester
final written test - 60% of the total assessment, the test will take place during the
Assessment:
examination period, will consist of a combination of multiple-choice questions,
open-ended questions and 2 short essays on a selected topic
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:

1. Multi-level governance
2. Political culture
3. Political behavior
4. Social movements
5. Political elites
6. Interest groups
7. Political communication
8. Electoral behavior
9. Social policy
10. Defense policy

Some suggested sources:

CARAMANI, Daniele. Comparative Politics, 3rd edition, Oxford University Press, 2014, ISBN
978-0-19-966599-0
CLARK, Roberts, GOLDER, Matt, NADENICHEK, Sonna. Principles of comparative politics.
Los Angeles: SAGE, 2013, ISBN 978-1-60871-679-1
LANE, Jan.E. Comparative Politics. London: Routledge, 2008. ISBN 0-415-43206-5

Additional literature is part of the preparation for specific course topics and will be
available within Moodle and MS Teams together with presentations from lectures.

1
 Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political
Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science
Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

2.
Title: Introduction into European Integration (7 ECTS Credits)
Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Lecturer: Prof. Jozef Bátora, MPhil., PhD., Room N-207
The course reviews some of the recent academic contributions analyzing the
emerging nature of the enlarged European Union. Students will deepen their
Aims and understanding of the changing character of political governance in the EU. They
objectives: will learn about transformations of statehood in Europe in the context of
European integration processes. They will also learn to apply analytical concepts
for analyzing developments of the EU as a political entity.
Active participation in class discussions: 20%
Analytical memos: 40 % - For every class session, you will be expected to read the
assigned readings and write an analytical memo / reflection / literature review
400-600 words long.
Assessment:
Final paper: 40 % - The research paper is based on rigorous academic research.
The assigned topic will be broadly formulated and there will be space for
narrowing it down to suit specific interests. The paper is to be 2000 words long
(excluding literature and references).
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:
1. Introduction
2. Dynamics of European integration
3. Formation of the EU as a political entity
4. Identity politics and recognition in the EU
5. Integration processes in the EU: differentiation and segmentation
6. Crises and the challenges of democratic governance in the EU
7. EU diplomacy: Can the EEAS deliver?
8. The EU’s external governance: macro- and micro-level dynamics
9. EU security and defense: new configurations
10. The EU and the liberal international order
Some suggested sources:
OLSEN, Johan P. (2002): "The Many Faces of Europeanization" Journal of Common Market
Studies, 40 (5): 921-52
BARTOLINI, Stefano (2006): "A Comparative Political Approach to the EU Formation." Working
Paper 04-2006, Oslo: ARENA
LAVENEX, S. (2014): “The Power of Functionalist Extension: How EU Rules Travel.” Journal of
European Public Policy, 21 (6): 885–903
LERUTH B., GÄNZLE S. and TRONDAL, J.(2019): “Differentiated Integration and Disintegration in the
EU after Brexit: Risks versus Opportunities”, Journal of Common Market Studies, 57(6): 1383-1394
ADLER-NISSEN, R. and ZARAKOL, A. (2021): “Struggles for recognition: the liberal international
order and the merger of its discontents”, International Organization, vol. 75, special issue 2, pp.
611–34
BÁTORA, J. and FOSSUM, J.E. (2024, eds.): Differentiation and Dominance in Europe’s Poly-Crises.
London: Routledge

2
 Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political
Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science
Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

3.

Title: Nondemocratic Regimes 1 (7 ECTS Credits)

Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Samuel Spáč, PhD., Radovan Geist, PhD., Prof.. Darina Malová, PhD., Room
Lecturer(s):
N-212, N-213
The course focuses on a conceptual analysis of nondemocratic regimes that occur
in the world today or have existed in the last century. Students will be introduced
to different approaches to defining and studying autocratic regimes. They will
Aims and
learn to identify the various procedures and processes typical of non-democratic
objectives: regimes that serve to maintain the stability of the regime. Also analyze and
compare political and everyday practices in non-democratic regimes in the 20th
and 21st centuries, with an emphasis on selected cases.
Active participation: 20%
Position papers: 30%
Assessment:
Group project: 20%
Written exam: 30%
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:

1. Conceptual analysis: democracy and autocracy.

2. Concepts needed to examine undemocratic regimes
3. Totalitarian regimes
4. One-party and hegemonic party regimes
5. Theocratic and traditional authoritarianisms
6. Personnel and military authoritarianisms
7. Hybrid modes
8. Transition from an authoritarian regime
9. Political change
10. What follows the fall of the authoritarian regime?

Some suggested sources:

BROOKER, Paul: Non-Democratic Regimes. 2nd edition. New York: Palgrave Macmillan
2009.
SIAROFF, Alan: Comparing Political Regimes. A Thematical Introduction to Comparative
Politics. North York: University of Toronto Press 2009.
SVOLIK, Milan W. The Politics of Authoritarian Rule. New York: Cambridge University Press
2012.

3
 Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political
Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science
Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

4.
Title: Public Finances (7 ECTS Credits)
Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Lecturer: Zsolt GÁL PhD., Room N-215
The aim of the course is to examine the most important issues and challenges of
public budgets and fiscal policies in the developed countries. How the large
redistributive welfare systems (like pension and health-care systems) work? How
labour markets are regulated and influenced by government policies? What are
Aims and the most important challenges welfare systems and public budgets face? What
objectives: about the current and possible future trends? We put a great emphasis on
comparing various countries, socio-economic models, institutions, on best
practices and on the study of reforms/possible reforms, which can help to make
public finances and various sectoral policies and institutions more sustainable.
We also try to improve the presentation and writing skills.
Group presentations (power point) and notes (handouts): 40 %
Assessment: Active participation: 10 %
Final oral exam, colloquium: 50 %
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:

1. Introduction to the course

2. Welfare State
3. Deficits, debts, fiscal expansions and consolidations, fiscal institutions
4. European socio-economic model(s)
5. The Scandinavian model
6. Economic freedom, transparency, corruption and prosperity
7. Pension systems and ageing
8. Taxing and spending
9. Labour market, regulations, employment and unemployment
10. Health-care systems and their reforms

Some suggested sources:

Begg, Iain – Mushövel, Fabian and Niblett, Robin 2015: The Welfare State in Europe. Visions for
Reform. Research Paper, Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs, London,
Reinhart, Carmen M. – Rogoff, Kenneth S., 2008, This Time is Different: A Panoramic View of Eight
Centuries of Financial Crises, NBER Working Paper No. 13882, National Bureau of Economic
Research, Cambridge, MA.
Daniel Vaughan-Whitehead (Ed.) 2015: The European Social Model in Crisis. Is Europe Losing its
Soul? International Labour Organization, Cheltenham Edward Elgar Publishing Limited.
Frelle-Petersen, Claus - Hein, Andreas – Christiansen, Mathias 2020: The Nordic social welfare
model. Lessons for reform. Deloitte Insights.
Hinrichs, Karl 2021: Recent pension reforms in Europe: More challenges, new directions. An
overview. Social Policy & Administration, Volume 55, Issue 3.

4
 Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political
Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science
Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

5.
The Visegrad Group in the Context of European Integration (5 ECTS
Title:
Credits)
Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Lecturer(s): Prof. Darina Malová, PhD., Mgr. Janka Kottulová, PhD., Room N-213
The course provides students with an understanding of the impact of European
integration on the Visegrad Group (V4) countries during and after the “Eastern”
EU enlargement. Students will gain knowledge about the European integration
Aims and
and learn about the highly complex processes of widening and deepening of the
objectives: two fundamental structures of modern societies: democracy and market. The
students will understand the interplay between the EU conditionality policy and
its impact on the V4 countries.
An active participation at the workshop discussions (10%),
Assessment: Group presentations of obligatory readings at seminars (30%),
The final test (60%), in the form of Open Book Exam
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:
1. Introduction into the course. Central Europe and its tragedy. Fall of the Berlin
Wall:;
2. History, Development and Meanings of the European integration.
3. The EU Enlargement Policy: Membership Criteria and V4 Responses.
4. Case study of Slovakia’s Path to Democracy and Market Economy under the
‘auspices’ of the EU.
5. Case Study of the Czech Republic: Always a good student?
6. Case Study of Poland: EU Politics as an implication of its size?
7. Case Study of Hungary: The political context of EU accession in Hungary
8. European Union: Economic and Normative Power? EU’s impact on the Member
States.
9. Thirty years after the Fall: What's Wrong with Central (East) Europe? Populism and
Democratic Backsliding in the V4 countries.
10. Discussion: Advantages and disadvantages of EU membership for the Visegrad Four
countries
Some suggested sources:

FEATHERSTONE, Kevin and Claudio M. RADAELLI (Eds.). The Politics of Europeanization.

New York: Oxford University Press, 2003. ISBN 0-19-925209-2
FISHER, Sharon. Political Change in Post-Communist Slovakia and Croatia. From
Nationalist to Europeanist. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2006. ISBN 978-1-4039-7286-6
GRABBE, Heather. The EU’s Transformative Power. Europeanization Through Conditionality in
Central and Eastern Europe. New York: Palgrave, 2006. ISBN 78-1-403-94903-5
MALOVÁ, Darina and Branislav DOLNÝ. The Eastern Enlargement of the EU: Challenges To
Democracy? In: Human Affairs 2008, 18, 67–80, 2008, DOI:10.2478/v10023-008-0006-4
VACHUDOVA, Milada. Europe Undivided: Democracy, Leverage, & Integration After
Communism. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. ISBN: 9780199241194.

5
 Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political
Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science
Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

6.
From socialism to EU membership - economic transformation in Slovakia
Title:
and the CEE countries (3 ECTS Credits)
Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Lecturer: Zsolt GÁL PhD., Room N-215
The aim is to give a general overview of the process of economic transformation
of CEE countries (with special accent on Slovakia) from the socialist centrally-
planned economies to free market economies integrated to the European Union.
The students shall be able to examine and understand the characteristics, nature
and structure of economic systems (socialism and capitalism) and the
revolutionary and unprecedented transformation processes. Different policy
choices, strategies and scope of transition and trajectories of CEE countries
Aims and (economic development, achievements and failures) will be analysed in detail
objectives: and using a comparative perspective. We will look at the current state of CEE
countries as well: what kind of socio-economic models, capitalisms were created,
which countries where more and which less successful and what are the major
challenges today. By the end of the course, the students shall be able to
understand, evaluate and analyse the basic processes of economic
transformation in CEE countries after the fall of the iron curtain. This gives them
a valuable knowledge and expertise usable in both the public and private sectors
and the academic world as well.
Active participation: 10 %
Assessment: Presentation (power point) and notes (handouts): 40 %
Seminar paper: 50 %
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:
1. Basic paradigms: socialism, capitalism, welfare state, mixed economy
2. Causes of the collapse of Communism and its economic heritage, need for change
3. The first round of reforms
4. Evaluating the success of reforms: shock therapy or gradualism, comprehensive big bang
vs. half or no reforms
5. The second round of reforms: flat tax revolution, partial pension privatization etc.
6. The EU integration and its effects
7. Where are we now? The macroeconomic perspective
8. Where are we now? The people’s perspective, the social effects of transformation
9. Transformation of different sectors of economy
10. Current challenges – reverse processes and the crisis of democracy and market economy
in CEE
Some examples on suggested sources:
Appel, Hilary & Orenstein, Mitchell A. (2018). From Triumph to Crisis: Neoliberal Economic Reform
in Postcommunist Countries. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Åslund, Anders, & Djankov, Simeon (Eds.) (2014). The great rebirth. Lessons from the victory of
capitalism over communism. Washington DC: Peterson Institute for International Economics.
Åslund, Anders 2013: How Capitalism Was Built: The Transformation of Central and Eastern
Europe, Russia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, 2nd edition. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Bokros L. (2013). Accidental occidental. Economics and culture of transition in Mitteleuropa, the
Baltic and the Balkan area. Budapest: Central European University Press.

6
 Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political
Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science
Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

7.
Title: Politics and Government in Ukraine (3 ECTS Credits)
Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Lecturer: Kateryna Yakovenko PhD., kateryna.yakovenko@uniba.sk, N-212
The following course is designed to introduce political system of Ukraine and
explain its current functioning. Building upon elements of social, economic and
religious systems the course focuses on the challenges of Ukraine’s transition
from communism to a hybrid democratic regime. Foreign policy of Ukraine, being
an integral part of the state’s development, will overview the two main
Aims and
directions throughout Ukraine’s history: the European vector and the Russian
objectives: vector. Two democratic revolutions (the Orange Revolution of 2004 and
Euromaidan 2013/14) and the Russian military attack of 2022 will be presented
and discussed. At the end of the course, students will be able to define Ukraine’s
political system, including the broader framework of its place on the
international arena.
Active participation: 20 %
Presentation (power point, topic of choice): 40 %
Assessment:
Mid-term test – multiple choice: 20 %
Final test – multiple choice: 20%
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:
1. Ukraine before and after the communist revolution in 1917: struggling to survive in the
USSR.
2. Independent Ukraine: Constitution and political regime. The parliament of Ukraine and
main political parties.
3. The institution of presidency and the Cabinet of Ministers in Ukraine.
4. The fourth power: oligarchic groups and their role in Ukraine’s political life.
5. The Orange Revolution of 2004:
6. Foreign policy vector one: Western dimension.
7. Foreign policy vector two: Eastern dimension.
8. Euromaidan of 2013/2014, Crimea annexation, occupation of Donbas.
9. Russian military invasion of 2022.

Some examples on suggested sources:

Von Hagen, Mark. 1995. Does Ukraine Have a History? Slavic Review 54, no. 3 (Autumn): 658 – 673
Iryna Solonenko (2009) External democracy promotion in Ukraine: the role of the European Union,
Democratization, 16:4, 709-731
Wolczuk, K., 2009. Implementation without coordination: the impact of EU conditionality on
Ukraine under the European Neighbourhood Policy. Europe-Asia Studies, 61(2), pp. 187-211.
Kuzio, T., 2018. Russia–Ukraine crisis: The blame game, geopolitics and national identity. Europe-
Asia Studies, 70(3), pp. 462-473.
Tatyana Malyarenko & Stefan Wolff (2018) The logic of competitive influenceseeking: Russia,
Ukraine, and the conflict in Donbas, Post-Soviet Affairs, 34:4,
Halya Coynash & Austin Charron (2019) Russian-occupied Crimea and the state of exception:
repression, persecution, and human rights violations, Eurasian Geography and Economics, 60:1,
28-53.

7
 Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political
Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science
Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

Summer Semester:
1.
Title: Comparative politics: political change and competition (7 ECTS Credits)
Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Lecturer: Samuel Spáč PhD., N-212
The course focuses on democratic institutions which serve as arenas for
competition of ideas and which are essential to a peaceful political change. In the
course, students will learn to analytically approach democratic institutions, their
role, their functions and their performance. Political institutions are ever-
developing and as a consequence current liberal democracies face new
challenges. There are new types of political parties gaining support across the
Aims and Western World, traditional liberal democracies seem to be divided by populist
objectives: leaders, new democracies observe attacks on a variety accountability
mechanisms, including the judicial power, media or NGOs. In addition, trust
towards traditional political institutions decreases, digital age allows citizens to
participate in the public debate more than ever before and that increases a
demand for utilization of new, and more direct, tools of political participation.
The course will try to address to a large extent traditional political institutions
with sensitivity to the current context and current debate is political science.
Group presentations on read literature: 30%
Assessment: Test: 40 %
Active participation in in-class discussions: 30 %
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:
1. Introduction to the course
2. Representative democracy in 21st century
3. Interest representation, political parties and party systems
4. Elections and electoral systems
5. Separation of Powers I. Executive-Legislative Relationships
6. Separation of Powers II. Horizontal and Vertical separation of powers
7. Ensuring accountability of public officials
8. Direct Democracy and New Tools of Democratic Participation
Most important suggested sources:
• Von Beyme, Klaus. 2011. “Representative democracy and the populist temptation” In The Future
of Representative Democracy, edited by Alonso, Sonia; Keane, John and Wolfgang Merkel.
Cambridge: CUP, p. 50-73.
• Mair, Peter. 2009. “Representative v. Responsible Government”, MPIfG Working Paper 09/8.
• Ginsburg, Tom and Aziz Huq. 2018. “Democracy’s ‘Near Misses’, Journal of Democracy 29(4), p.
16-30.
• Schedler, Andreas. 1999. “Conceptualizing accountability” in The Self-restraining State: Power
and Accountability in New Democracies, edited by Schedler, Andreas; Diamond, Larry and Marc F.
Plattner, London: Lynne Rienner Publishers, p. 13-28.
• Fung, Archon. 2008. “Democratizing the Policy Process”, in The Oxford Handbook of Public
Policy, edited by Goodin, Robert E.; Moran, Michael and Martin Rein. Oxford: OUP p. 667-683.

8
 Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political
Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science
Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

2.
Title: Government and Politics in the USA (7 ECTS Credits)
Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Lecturer: Doc. Erik Láštic PhD., N-212, erik.lastic@uniba.sk
The course Government and Politics in the USA provides introduction to key
political concepts, ideas, institutions, policies, interactions, roles, and behaviors
that characterize the political system and political culture of the USA. Students
Aims and will study U.S. foundational documents, Supreme Court decisions, and other
objectives: texts and visuals to gain an understanding of the relationships and interactions
among political institutions, processes, and behavior. They will also engage in
disciplinary practices that require them to read and interpret data, make
comparisons and applications, and develop evidence-based arguments.
- active participation during lectures and seminars,
- short online test from mandatory reading- 50% of final grade. From week 3
(federalism) till the end of the semester. There will be an online test from
mandatory reading (chapter from the textbook) available (10 questions). For final
Assessment:
grade five (5) best results will count.
- final online test- 50% of final grade, during exam period. The test is composed
from multiple-choice questions, open ended questions and two (2) essay
questions.
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:

1. Introduction to US politics
2. The Constitution
3. Federalism
4. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights
5. Public Opinion, Political Socialization, and the Media
6. Interest Groups and Political Parties
7. Campaigns and Elections
8. Congress
9. The President and The Executive Branch
10. The Courts
11. Domestic and Economic Policy
12. Foreign Policy
Most important suggested sources:
BIANCO, William a David CANON. American politics today. New York: W. W. Norton, 2009. ISBN:
978-0-393-97883-4
SCHMIDT, Steffen W., SHELLEY, Mack C., BARDES, Barbara. American Government and Politics
Today, 2018–2019 Brief Edition, 2017 CENGAGE, ISBN 0-314-96078-3
VALELLY, Richard, METTLER, Suzanne, LIEBERMAN, Robert. The Oxford handbook of American
political development. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016, ISBN 978-0-19-969791-5
VILE, M.J.. Politics in the USA. New York: Routledge, 2007, ISBN 978-0-415-41418-0
Additional literature and resources will be available for specific lectures via Moodle and MS Teams.
3.

9
 Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political
Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science
Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

Title: Institutions of the European Union (7 ECTS Credits)
Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Lecturer: Max Steuer PhD., N-212, max.steuer@uniba.sk
According to an official website of the European Union, ‘[t]he European Union
(EU) has an institutional framework aimed at promoting and defending its values,
objectives and interests, the interests of its citizens and those of its Member
States.’ The course offers an introduction to the operation of this ‘institutional
framework’ and provides the conceptual toolkit and skills needed to assess how
the EU institutional framework animates broader questions on the nature,
meaning and functioning of the EU, its impact and relevance at the intersection
Aims and
of multiple actors in domestic and international politics. At the end of the course,
objectives: students should acquire or improve content literacy and subject specific
qualifications, including (1) understanding and critically engaging with the
operation of key EU institutions and particular political decisions and
developments pertaining to the EU, (2) developing their oral and written critical
thinking and reasoning skills, the quality of their expression and problem-solving
abilities, as well as the capacity of engagement with different formats of
academic texts, policy documents and legal materials.
20 % - memos based on the required readings, formulating questions and
reflections of the students to four selected seminars (4x 5 %)
Assessment: 10 % - active class participation
35 % - class project
35 % - final essay (with an oral defense/exam resit option)
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:
1. EU institutions: Starting questions
2. The European Parliament: The heart of democracy in the EU?
3. The European Commission: The EU’s executive or bureaucracy?
4. The European Council and the Council (of the EU): Member state
domination in EU politics?
5. The Court of Justice: The quiet architect of European integration?
Further topics to be specified based on student interest and current developments, and
may include:
 The ‘Central European perspective’ on EU institutions: The odd ones out?
 EU institutions and EU crises: New opportunities for leadership or reaching the
limits?
 EU institutions protecting values, including human rights: An unnatural
connection?
 EU institutions and emergencies
 The EU Constitution: Towards a federal system?
 Participation in EU politics: Reforming EU institutions from below?
Most important suggested sources:
 Alberto Alemanno and Kalypso Nicolaïdis, “Citizen Power Europe,” Revue Européenne Du
Droit, no. 3 (2022): 7–16.
 Ramona Coman, Amandine Crespy, and Vivien A. Schmidt, eds., Governance and Politics in

10
 Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political
Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science
Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

the Post-Crisis European Union (CUP, 2020).
 Gábor Halmai, “The Possibility and Desirability of Rule of Law Conditionality,” Hague
Journal on the Rule of Law 11, no. 1 (2019): 171–88.
 Dermot Hodson et al., eds., The Institutions of the European Union, Fifth Edition (Oxford:
OUP, 2021).
 Johanna Kantola et al., “’It’s Like Shouting to a Brick Wall’: Normative Whiteness and
Racism in the European Parliament,” American Political Science Review 117, no. 1 (2023):
184–99.
 Hans Kundnani, Eurowhiteness: Culture, Empire and Race in the European Project
(London: Hurst, 2023), Introduction and Chapter 1.
 Luuk Van Middelaar, The Passage to Europe: How a Continent Became a Union (Yale
University Press, 2013), Prologue.
 Hubert Zimmermann and Andreas Dür, Key Controversies in European Integration, 3rd
edition (Red Globe Press, 2021).

4.
Title: Policies of the European Union (7 ECTS Credits)
Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Lecturer: Doc. Matúš Mišík, PhD., Room N-215
The aim of the course is to examine different policies of the European Union. The
EU has undergone a significant transformation since its establishment in the
1950s and complex common policies changed its nature and relationship
between the EU, its institutions and member states. The course examines
Aims and
policies that are fully in EU competence (like the Common Agricultural Policy or
objectives: Single Market), but will also examine those in which European integration hasn’t
been that deep yet (Justice and Home Affairs). It will also look at the process of
policy creation and discuss those policies that are currently being further
developed, like Climate and Energy Policy.
40 % - Presentation at the seminar and synopsis
10 % - Evaluation of presentation of another student
Assessment:
50% - Final exam: multiple choice questions, true and false statements, short
answers
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:
1. EU Policy making
2. Common Agriculture Policy
3. Single Market, The Economic and Monetary Union.
4. External EU relations, Common Foreign and Security Policy
5. Energy and Climate Policy
6. Justice and Home Affairs
Most important suggested sources (corresponding chapters from the following books):
Buonanno, N. a Nugent, N. (2013) Policies and Policy Processes of the EU, Palgrave: London.
Cini, Michelle – Borragan, Nieves Perez-Solorzano 2016: European Union Politics. 5th Edition,
Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Wallace, Helen - Pollack, Mark A. and Young, Alasdair R. (eds.) 2015: Policy-Making in the
European Union. 7th Edition, The New European Union Series, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

11
 Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political
Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science
Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

5.
Title: Economic Policies of the European Union (5 ECTS Credits)
Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Lecturer: Zsolt GÁL PhD., Room N-215
The aim of the course is to give a comprehensive picture on the development,
current state, recent problems and future perspectives of the economic
integration in the European Union. Through analyzing the historic development
students are going to be better prepared to understand the current design of
various policies and to evaluate the costs and benefits of the integration process.
Aims and The applied comparative perspective helps to examine the role of the European
objectives: Union and its member states in the globalized world economy as well as to
address the significant differences between the members. The general, holistic
approach applied to various areas helps to frame the environment where EU
policies work. At the end, the students shall be able to distinguish the institutions
of the Union from other global, regional and national institutions and understand
their specific nature in a historic context.
10 % - Active participation
20 % - Presentation
Assessment:
70 % - Final written exam (mostly test with multiple choice questions and true
and false statements)
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:
1. The single market and the common commercial policy.
2. The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) – monetary policy I.
3. The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) – monetary policy II.
4. The Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) – monetary policy III.
5. The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).
6. Competition policy in the EU.
7. The common regional and transport policy.
8. Employment and social policy in the EU.
9. Visa, asylum and migration policy.
10. Perfect storm over Europe? Multiply, overlapping and mutually reinforcing crises of the
European Union.
11. Current issues and final remarks – the future of the integration project.
Most important suggested sources (corresponding chapters from the following books):

Baldwin, Richard – Wyplosz, Charles 2019: The Economics of European Integration. 6th Edition.
McGrew-Hill Education (UK), Maidenhead, Berkshire.
Cini, Michelle – Borragan, Nieves Perez-Solorzano 2016: European Union Politics. 5th Edition,
Oxford University Press, Oxford.
De Grauwe, Paul 2018: Economics of Monetary Union. 12th Edition, Oxford University Press,
Oxford.
Wallace, Helen - Pollack, Mark A. and Young, Alasdair R. (eds.) 2015: Policy-Making in the
European Union. 7th Edition, The New European Union Series, Oxford University Press, Oxford.

12
 Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political
Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science
Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

6.
Title: International Relations I (7 ECTS Credits)
Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Lecturer: Prof. Jozef Bátora, MPhil., PhD., Room N-207
Students will gain theoretical and practice-oriented knowledge on key aspects of
international relations and international security. They will learn about the main
Aims and
state and non-state actors in the global environment and they will develop
objectives: analytical skills focusing on their actorness, structures of global politics and
changes processes with respect to current globalization trends.
1) Short weekly memos based on course readings. Each of the memos should be
about half a page to one page long, should focus on specific aspects of interest in
the readings and formulate a question for class discussion. 40% of the grade
2) Active participation in class discussions. Get involved in debates; raise
Assessment: questions; bring in own observations and views based on readings: 20% of the
grade
3) Research paper: Topic assigned; 2500 words plus references; Suggested
structure: Introduction (200 words), Theory and methods (1000 words), Empirical
section (1000 words), Conclusion (300 words); 40% of the grade
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:
1. Introduction
2. Modern society of sovereign states
3. International order and power politics
4. Alliances: a neo-realist perspective
5. Securitization and security communities: A constructivist perspective
6. Identities and narratives in international relations
7. Dynamics of Post-Westphalian Order 1: Private military- and security companies and
transformation of global security
8. Dynamics of Post-Westphalian Order 2: Grey zones, hybrid warfare, and conventional wars
9. Dynamics of Post-Westphalian Order 3: The EU between comprehensive and conventional
security approaches
10. Transformation of the Liberal International Order?
Most important suggested sources:
KISSINGER, H. (1957): A World Restored: Metternich, Castlereagh and the Problems of Peace in
1812-1822. Boston: Houghton Mifflin
RUGGIE, J.G. (1993): “Territoriality and Beyond: Problematizing Modernity in International
Relations” in International Organization, 47(1).
SPRUYT, H. (1994): “Institutional Selection in International Relations: State Anarchy as Order” in
International Organization, 48(4).
MARCH, J.G. and OLSEN, J.P. (1998): “The Institutional Dynamics of International Political Orders”
in International Organization, Vol. 52.
ADLER, E. and BARNETT, M. (1998, eds.): Security Communities. Cambridge: Cambridge University
Press
ZABRODSKYI, M. Et al. (2022): Preliminary Lessons in Conventional Warfighting from Russia’s
Invasion of Ukraine: February–July 2022. Report, London: RUSI
BÁTORA, J. (2024): “Interstitial emergence of national defence entrepreneurial firms and re-
configuration of the state as a defence actor: The case of Sweden’s Vesper Group”, European

13
 Comenius University in Gondova ulica 2 Department of Political
Bratislava 811 02 Bratislava Science
Faculty of Arts 1 Slovakia

List of courses in English language

Security, 33 (2)

7.
Title: Migration in Global and Local Context (3 ECTS Credits)
Department: Political Science (Faculty of Arts, Comenius University)
Lecturer: Aneta Világi, PhD. and Zsolt GÁL PhD., Room N-215
Students are expected to acquire a basic knowledge of the main theoretical
approaches to migration and migration research, as well as empirical insights
from the history, politics and economics of migration with a special focus on
Aims and
Central and Eastern Europe. As a result, students will be able to integrate these
objectives: insights, when exploring global and local dynamics affecting the phenomena of
migration in the CEE region. A practical part of the course will focus on
strengthening the research and presentation skills of the students.
30 % - Active participation
Assessment:
70 % - Presentation (oral presentation, power point and handout/notes)
A: 100% - 92% D: 75% - 68%
Evaluation: B: 91% - 84% E: 67% - 60%
C: 83% - 76% FX: 59% - 0%
Main topics:
1. Introduction
2. Migration in Political and Public Discourse
3. History of migration
4. Migration: definitions, classification, approaches
5. Migrant integration approaches and policies
6. International protection regime
7. Economic and fiscal consequences of migration
8. Labour migration in CEE countries
Most important suggested sources:
Kucharczyk, J. and Mesežnikov, G. (eds.) 2018. Phantom Menace. The Politics and Policies of
Migration in Central Europe. Bratislava: Institute for Public Affairs (Slovakia) and Heinrich-Böll-
Stiftung, Prague Office.
Lüthi, B. 2010. Migration and Migration history. Potsdam: Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung.
Garcés-Mascareñas, B. & Penninx, R. 2016. Integration Processes and Polices in Europe. Contexts,
Levels and Actors, Springer.
Allen, W., Anderson, B., Van Hear, N., Sumption, M., Düvell, F., Hough, J., ... & Walker, S. 2018.
Who counts in crises? The new geopolitics of international migration and refugee governance.
Geopolitics, 23(1), 217-243.
Martin, S., & Abimourched, R. 2009. Migrant rights: international law and national action.
International Migration, 47(5), 115-138.
Edo, A., Ragot, L., Rapoport, H., Sardoschau, S., Steinmayr, A. and Sweetman, A. 2020. An
introduction to the economics of immigration in OECD countries. Canadian Journal of
Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, 53: 1365-1403.
Astrov, V., Grieveson, R., Hanzl-Weiss, D., Leitner, S., Mara, I., Vidovic, H. and Zavarská, Z. 2022.
How do Economies in EU-CEE Cope with Labour Shortages? Study Update from wiiw Research
Report 452. Vienna: The Vienna Institute for International Economic Studies (Wiener Institut für
Internationale Wirtschaftsvergleiche).

14